


The cost of goodbye

by Beacha



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-15
Updated: 2019-09-15
Packaged: 2020-10-19 11:54:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20656820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beacha/pseuds/Beacha
Summary: Byleth only ever knew a world with Sothis.





	The cost of goodbye

The first memory Byleth has of Sothis goes back to their 5th year. Byleth had gotten separated from their father and was wandering around the woods near Remire village. It wasn’t until the sun began setting that Byleth realized how lost they were. From out of the shadows she had emerged.  
“Are you lost?”  
Byleth nodded in response. “Foolish child; this won’t do. Come with me and I can take you home.”  
Hesitantly, the small child walked up to her and held out their hand. Sighing, the strange woman took it.  
As darkness finally fell was when Byleth and Jeralt were reunited. It was the first time Byleth saw Jeralt cry. He held them tightly to his chest as he sobbed loudly.  
“I’m sorry, papa.”  
Jeralt picked Byleth up and the small child wiped at his face.  
“Please stop crying…”  
He sniffled loudly and gave them a big kiss on the cheek.  
“I was so scared. Don’t you ever do that again, you understand?”  
Byleth nodded and pointed towards Sothis.  
“That pretty lady helped me.”  
“Heh… pretty,” Sothis thought to herself.  
Jeralt looked where Byleth was pointing and shook his head.  
“There’s no one there, kid. Unless… you must be getting lonely huh? I’ll try to find a place for you to play with the other children.”  
As he carried Byleth away towards the inn, Sothis stood and watched. The small child waved. She waved back.  
As Byleth became older, Sothis made herself more known. The first time they had their heart broken was a prominent memory. They must have been 13 years old. A local village boy had brushed them off. They can remember sitting on their front porch bawling their eyes out. Looking back, it was a stupid thing to get upset about. Still, though, Sothis was there for them.  
“There, there. Do not cry, child. To treat you in such a despicable manner proves he isn’t worth the energy. Honestly?! What else could he have possibly been doing? I bet he’s wadding through horse waste as we speak!”  
The awkward consolation had worked. Byleth couldn’t help the giggles that escaped them.  
For their 16th birthday, Jeralt took Byleth out on their first job as a mercenary. Sothis was shocked that such a young child would be brought into battle. The whole time Sothis had stayed behind them, somehow knowing exactly what would be coming.  
Through life, Byleth was never one for conversation, but with Sothis it came easily. She knew how Byleth felt, what they saw. Everyone insisted that Sothis was nothing more than an imaginary friend. But to Byleth she was so much more. A true friend, a comforting voice, almost a guardian angel. The first time she showed off her powers of time was a milestone. That was when Byleth knew she was something more.  
As Byleth adjusted to life at Garreg Mach Sothis was indispensable. She served as a familiar face in the crowd of strangers. When they woke up in the middle of the night in fear she could lull them back to sleep. Late nights spent working were less dull when she kept company. After rough battles, she could talk Byleth through healing techniques.  
After losing Jeralt was the first time Sothis had cried too. All Byleth’s anger, guilt, sorrow, and desire for revenge was felt by Sothis. Despite this, she could still stay as a voice of reason. It was her who stopped Byleth charging head-on into the enemy forces. She still couldn’t stop Byleth from chasing Kronya. Couldn’t get Byleth to run when Solon appeared. Couldn’t protect them as they were swallowed by the void.  
The final decision for the two to finally become one was difficult. Byleth knew it would be goodbye. As their two souls became one they embraced for the first and only time.  
Finally, Byleth felt whole. Yet still so empty. Never had they felt so alone. Their father taken from them; their only friend now gone. Despite the busy monastery surrounding them, they were stuck in an empty room.  
Byleth crying out in the night was met with silence.


End file.
